Whoopsie. Here we go again.
Certain historical aircraft designs have succeeded in
both eliminating the risk of loose cowlings damaging control surfaces, stabilisers, and/or engine subsystems,
and reducing maintenance workloads. We should learn from the lessons of the past.
A careful comparison of the foreground and background aircraft in the picture linked below perhaps illustrates my point.
http://www.trimotors.awiggins.com/im...nd707atSFO.jpg
In the automotive industry, it has long been recognised that uncommanded opening of engine cowlings can lead to an sudden and disorienting loss of visual references - often abruptly followed by uncontrolled impact with terrain.
To this end, automotive designers have created double cowling locking mechanisms, combined with sprung cowlings, such that if at least one locking mechanism is not engaged, the cowling springs open, and the absence of locking is immediately apparent, except perhaps in conditions of extremely poor visibility.